Canadians of all kinds love their sports, and fantasy sports have provided a higher level of competition for both casual and committed fans of any major league. Fantasy sports allow anyone with an internet connection to be their own general manager (GM), and make the decisions they feel are necessary to win the ultimate prize. The evolution of the fantasy sports industry allows fans to compete against friends or complete strangers, while playing for a wide variety of prizes, some of which include dazzling sums of money.
Using the NHL as an example, a typical fantasy league will be composed of any number of friends acting as general managers of their respective teams. Each GM will draft from the pool of available players, who will statistically produce for their teams over the course of the NHL season. Teams will compete against each other based on the agreed scoring system put in place prior to the draft. Drafts usually take place within days of a season’s inception. Once drafts have been completed, teams will compete against one another until the champion is crowned.
This ordinary concept has received an extraordinary welcome from casual and serious sports fans around the world. Fantasy has taken the buzz of professional sports to a level that hasn’t been seen before, and it has allowed fans to feed their passion for competition, involving the sports they love the most. It has slowly become a multi-million dollar industry, thanks in large part to a rapidly growing fantasy sports community.
The winning formula
Practice makes perfect, and knowledge is power: two commonly used clichés that apply to all activities, but especially fantasy sports. Effort remains a factor that will usually result in winning outcomes for participants. Those who know the trends and players of the sports best will typically be those who come out on top, as scaling values and managing expectations of players can go a long way to being the king or queen of your pool come season’s end. Luckily for participants, fantasy sport has become an industry of its own, meaning information is readily available and at their fingertips. A constant flow of material available across numerous media outlets will help both experienced and new players achieve their end of season goals.
One cannot forget the great equalizer in the sports that are loved so dearly across North America: luck. Luck is what fuels the burning fire of fantasy sports as well as the leagues they mirror. The potential for anything to happen in any given game is what keeps the fans glued to their phones, laptops, and televisions during live games. One big play can make the difference in a fantasy league, which could be the difference between bragging rights and embarrassment between friends, or a jackpot of prize money. Fans who haven’t tried out fantasy sports should be encouraged but also warned in advance.
Fantasy sports are easily accessible and quite addicting, and more information can be discovered with a quick internet search. Fans of any kind are greatly encouraged to see if fantasy is something that ignites their passion for their favourite competitive leagues.